TEMPO.CO, Beijing - The United States and China have agreed on urging North Korea to halt its ambition to develop nuclear weapons. The deal was reached on the second day of the sixth US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Beijing yesterday.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said Washington and Beijing discussed specific ways to achieve denuclearization of North Korea. "The United States and China agreed on an important urgency of achieving a denuclearized, stable and prosperous Korean Peninsula, and we discussed specific ways in which we think can advance that goal," Kerry told reporters.
North Korea was one of the topics discussed in the dialogue, along with diplomatic, economic and international issues concerning the two countries. "China shares the same strategic goal, and we discussed the importance of enforcing U.N. Security Council resolutions that impose sanctions on North Korea's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile program," Kerry said.
China needs to do more in curbing Pyongyang's ambition and playing its unique role to persuade North Korea to stop its nuclear weapons program. The US deemed China still too lenient toward North Korea.
China's top foreign-policy maker, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, said Washington and Beijjing emphasized the importance of realizing North Korea denuclearization through consultation. North Korea, who has conducted three nuclear tests since 2006 and threatened to do it again, has repeatedly expressed willingness to reopen the six-party talks "without preconditions".
North Korea’s official news agency KCAN yesterday reported a rocket firing exercise by the Korean People’s Army (KPA) that was guided by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
In the exercise, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles with a range of 500 km to eastern waters at Hwanghae Province. Pyongyang has launched more than 90 short and medium-range missiles since February 21.
KPA spokesman said North Korea would keep firing tactical missiles and would not give them to anyone because they are apart of North Korean people’s sovereignty and dignity.
YONHAP | XINHUA
